Index



oct. 18,1927. 1,645,598

W. F. JOHNSTON INDEX Filed A1122- 2l, 1924 Patented oci. 18,1927.

. UNITED- STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE.

wnmzur r. Jomrsron, or Los ANGEL-Es. estu-omini, assrenon, nv mm:.assremrms, 'ro enumeran am mc., or roNAwANDA, maw Yonx, a. conrom- TION0l' DELAWARE.

INDEX.

. appuuoamed August er, 1oz-L serial No. 733.382.

This invention relates to index devices of the typehaving spaces to ybepunched or perf forated so as-to give various indications 'in accordancewith the particular space or spaces punched, and more particularly to'indexes of the overlapping card type having the proJecting the punchedspaces visible at margins' of the cards.

In thel accompanyingV drawings which il- 1 lustrate a preferredembodiment ofthe invention,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation embodying features of thepresent inven- M tion and prior to folding for application to the indexcard holder;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the slip shown in Fig. 4; and y f Fig. 6is a front elevation of *the -slip *0 shown in Fig. 4 after yfolding`and-when ready for application lto the card holder.

Referring to Fig. 1 the numeral 1 indicates generally an index uof thevisible type comprising a frame having substantially parallel sideflanges 2, 3 which overlap the rear member of the frame and provideoppositely disposed guide groovesror channels. These flanges are spacedapart suiiiciently to ermit index card holders 4 to be arranged tweenthem, such holders being intended to hold index cards V 5 of any esiredty e and upon which any suitable entries may be made. The holders 4comprise pieces of sheet 5 material, such as cardboard, suitably hingedto supporting members 6 which project beyond the lateral edges of the`holders-and are normally positioned in the grooves be-4 hind the ilanges2, 3 respectively. A trans- 0 parent sheath or guard 7 ofA celluloid orother suitableA material is secured to the lower portion of the mainmember, or back of the card holder. The rear member or presentimprovements asv applied fold ofthe sheath or is secured to the`'lowervmarginal portion ofthe back memberof the-holder -by means-ofsuitable fastenerssuch, for example, as wire sta les 8, 9 which arepreferably s aced from t e extreme lowered l of the ack member. Thefront member of the sheath or guard is to be .sprung away from the backmem# berl of the holder to permit insertion of the llower edge of thecard 5. The holder is provided with incisions or slots at 10 for theinsertion of the uppercorners of the card .so that'. the card is heldsecurely in osition.

In the preferred application of t e present inventlon a removable indexslip is provided for insertion between Athe front membeni'a of the guardor sheath and theT front faceof the index card. This index slip consistsof an elongate, `substantially rectangu larlstrip 1-1 of 4sheetmaterial, such for example aspaper, havingta'b portions 12, 13

projecting centrally from its opposite ends respectiv ly. v

Upon one face of this slip there is preferably provided a blank space 14to receive an entry, such for example as a name. The slip` is alsoprovided with spaces for distinguishing characteristics lor indiciapreferably, thoughv not necessarily, arranged in some easilyrecognizable order or series, as

for'example letters in alphabetical order as indicated at 15, or numbersin consecutive order as lindicated at`16. Additional series ofletters,numbers or zother symbols such as the series indicated at'17 maybe provided. The above indicia or symbols, together with such otherinformation as may be desired, are arranged upon the front face of theslip above the longitudinal centerline 18 there of. such center lineconstituting a fold line.

Upon the rear face of the slip a band 19 of a suitable contrasting coloris'provided. For "economy in production, this band is made relativelynarrow and ordinarily would extend downwardly from the fold line v 18only "part way to .the lower margin. However, ifCrcumStances shouldwarrant, it is contemplated that theentire rear sur- ',fac'e of the slipmay be colored, or that a separate suitably colored strip of material.may be applied to the rear face of theslip 11 by the use of adhesive vorother suit-able 'attaching means, or even that such indelos pendentcolored element may merely be interposed loosely between the front andrear folds of the slip. 4

For. particularly designating any selected one, or ones of the variouscharacteristics appearing upon the front face of the slip an opening orperforat-ion may be formed near` or at such selected characteristic. For

example, the selected characteristic may be.

punched out entirely leaving an openlng in its place, the orderly orseries arrangement of the characteristics permitting the readyrecognition of the meaning or value of the opening or blankl space. Asthe colored band or surface 19 lies immediately behind the front fold ofthe slip, its color wil be exhibited through the opening or per o'rationthus formed, sol that the position of the selected characteristic orcharacteristics .is veiy clearly visible.

n folding the slip along its longitudinal center line the projectingtabs 12 and 13 are doubled, thus forming lugs 21, 22 which un- `-derliethe fastenings 8, 9 respectively when the slip is inserted within thesheath or guard member. The slip is thus very securely retained inproper position so that accidental Adisplace-ment or loss issubstantially prevented.

A movable signal device 23 may conveniently be used with the sli hereinabove described for temporaril esignating certain s bols or indicia.auch signal is prefera ly formed from transparent -sheet material, suchas celluloid, suitably colored'if desired, and provided with a window oropening 24 which may be placed in registry with the characteristic whichit is desired particu larly to designate.

The index slip 11 hereinabove specifically described is intended for usein automo-v bile sales oiiices. The name of a prospective customer maybe entered in the space 14. The letters of the series 15 may be em loyedto desi ate the type of car in which t e customer 1s interested whilethe series of large numerals 16 may indicate -the salesman to whom theprospective sale belongs.

As shown in Fig.l 6, the letter B has been punched out to form opening30 so that the color appearing throughV the opening indicates that thecustomer is intcrestedin a car of the typedesignated by the letter B,and the number 5' has been punched out to form opening 31 indicatingthat salesman 5 is responsible for the customer.` The series ofnumbersn17-is intended to indicate days of the'mont and by placing themovable signal 23 so hat one of the numbers of the series`17 'appearsthrough this window 24 he salesman is reminded thatupon that particularday' of the month he is to interview the customer.

Other 'punch o enings may be formed in the slip at desire points, as forexample at f window, and an 25 so that the color upon the rear :foldwill appear through such opening or openings. In this case theappearance of the color at the point 25 indicates that the prospectivepurchaser has a car to be traded in.

While the slip hereinabove described is intended for the specificpurpose` indicated and is provided with distinguishing symbols ofindicia in accordance with its proposed use, it is contemplated that anydesired characteristics, indicia or symbols, arranged in any suitablemanner may be placed upon the slipv and that attention may be attractedto any particular itemy thereon by the formation of an opening at aproper point through y the front fold of the slip to exhibit the coloredelement or surface at the rear.

I claim: l 1. An index comprising a frame lhaving oppositelydisposedguidechannels, a series of card holders each comprising means en.

gaging "the respective guide channels for supporting the cards inoverlapped .spaced l relation with their free margins ProJecting onebeyond the other, a .transparent sheath on the exposed margin of eachcard bolder, and a removable index slip ada tedy to be interposed-between the sheath an the front face of a card mounted in the holder,said slip having a signal opening therein, and means exhibiting' aAcontrasting color area throu h said opening.

2. index comprising a frame and series of card holders supported thereinin overlapped spaced relation with their free margins projecting onebeyond the other, a transparent guard member covering. the

frontface of the exposed margin of each card, and an index slip adaptedtobe positioned behind the transparent guard an' aperture therein `constituting aA signal element to the rear of said pertured portion visiblethrough said winow. 3. An index comprising a frame having a card holdertherein, 'said holder having a normally exposed` margin, a trans arentguard covering the front face of sai margin, and an index slippositioned behind the transparent guard and comprising a. front memberhavingl an opening therethrough and a rear member provided with acontrastingly colored front face visible through the opening in thefront member.

mem'-v ber, said slip comprising a portion having" 4. An index cardholder for visib le-,in`` dexes comprising a back member having a vtransparent sheath at its lower edge, and an index slip positionedwithin said sheath, said sli. comprising a folded piece of sheet materiaprovided with an opening iny its front fold to exhibit a portion of the'rear fold.

An 'indexbomprising frontv andl rear ing indicia associate members, thefront member having predetermined spaces for erforations and havwithsaid spaces res ctively, and the rear member having a dlstinctiveappearance visible through perforations in said spaces.

6. An index slip for use inindexes comprising an elongate strip of paperadapted to be doubled -along a longitudinal line, the part on one sideof said line being provided with indications in accordance with which anopening or openings may be punched therein, and the part on the otherside of the fold ,line being colored upon its rear surface to provide acolored area visible through the punched hole or holes in the front partafter folding. f

7. An index slip for use in visible indexes comprising a strip of paperadapted to be doubled to form` front and rear folds, the front face ofthe' portion constituting the front fold havin series of distinguishingcharacteristics, se ected ones of which may be designated by punching ahole at such selected characteristics, and the' surface of that portionof the slip forming the inner face of the rear fold being colored with acontrasting color to render the punched out pglrt of the front foldreadily distinguisha e.

8. An index slip for use in visible indexes comprising an elongate stripof sheet material adapted to be doubled along a longitudinal fold lineand having distinguishing symbols arranged in an orderly series-upon itsfront face and one side of the fold line. and a colored band upon itsrear face on the other side of the fold line, the formation of anopening in the front portion of the folded strip corresponding to aselected one of the ser1es of indicia exposing an area of said band toview upon folding the strip.

9. An index holder comprising a back member, a transparent guardcovering one margin of the back member, an index slip behind said guard,said slip having a blank space for making an entry, series of symbols orindicia, selected ones of which may be designated by punching an openingin the slip at or near such selected indicia, together with a series ofnumbers indicating time intervals, and a movable signal adapted to beinterposed between the guard member and index slip and having means fordesignating 11. An index holder comprising a back member, a transparentguard covering one margin of the 'back member and secured thereto byfasteners adjacent to its opposite ends, said. fasteners bein spacedfrom the extreme edge of the baci member, and an index slip comprisingan elongate strip of paper having a tab projecting from the central partof each of its ends, said strip being adapted to be doubled along itslongitudinal center line to form front and rear folds, the tabs likewisebeing doubled to form lugs adapted to underlie the respective fasteners'6" to retain the slip behind the uard.

Signed by me at Los Ange es, Calif., this 5 day of Aug., 1924. f

v WILLIAM F. JOHNSTON.

